“THE SONG IS YOU”: JON DE LUCIA’S OCTET at the TEA LOUNGE (May 29, 2017)

Jon De Lucia’s little orchestras delight me, so I follow them whenever I can. No matter how many players are gathered, there’s always shifting timbres, beautiful ensemble textures, a range of energies from serene to soaring. Here’s one gorgeous romp from his Octet’s most recent appearance: Jimmy Giuffre’s arrangement of THE SONG IS YOU. Properly speaking, I think the title should be corrected to THE SONG IS US, but the composer had never heard this octet in action.

Incidentally, should any more “traditionally-minded” readers be tempted to turn away from this dangerous venture into mid-century Modernism, I urge you to courageously listen: there’s an irresistible momentum, and even a passage of collective improvisation (let’s call it a little jam session) sure to delight even the most seriously loyal archaeologist.